


Define Dancing

by asphodelknox



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Human Louis, Love against the odds, M/M, Merman Harry, a cottage by the sea, also Marty their octopus friend, and all the heart eyes, and lots and lots of swimming, just a little smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-13 16:59:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12988458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asphodelknox/pseuds/asphodelknox
Summary: Death has a way of making certain things crystal clear. After Jay’s death, Louis returns to the summer cottage he always considered home. Unbeknownst to him, he’s also returning to the merman who has been his best friend through everything and finds that maybe there’s a chance for more.





	Define Dancing

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many, many thanks to my friends and betas, without whom this story probably wouldn’t have seen the light of day: [Vivi](http://hlficpraise.tumblr.com/) and [India](https://indiaalphawhiskey.tumblr.com/). Your encouragement and squealing truly made this story the best it could possibly be. Thanks to to the GC for all your love and squealing when I shared snippets. 
> 
> If you'd like, the song I listened to for most of the time I wrote this is "Define Dancing" from the Pixar movie, WALL-E's soundtrack. :) It's also where I got the title.
> 
> **Disclaimer:** This is a work of fiction with mature and/or explicit content that is not suitable for readers under the age of 18. I absolutely do not condone minors reading this work of fiction.

The radio went out of range as Louis turned the corner onto the gravel road like it always did. There was a gentle drizzle of rain on his windshield, he could just begin to hear the waves, and the grey skies fit his mood. The clouds hung heavy in the sky and he felt the weight in his heart - it rattled against his chest and Louis thought, not for the first time, that it might break. He pulled into the driveway of the beach cottage, grabbed his bag, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

The door creaked from nine months of no use, and as Louis turned the lights on, opened curtains, and flicked on the gas fireplace, the cottage slowly came to life, the creaks in the stairs welcoming his feet as he walked to the bedroom. He let his bag fall from his shoulder to the bed, plugged his phone into its charger, and walked back down the stairs. He left through the back door, taking the path to the cove. His cove. His and Harry’s cove.

The rocks were wet from the rain and Louis hugged his sweater around him to fight off the late June chill. The North Sea never got very warm, and today was no exception. He slid off his shoes, cuffed his pants up his calves, settled on his rock, and let out a low whistle. He was a few days early, but he knew Harry would hear him.

A few minutes later, a slightly higher whistle came in response from the far end of the cove and Louis heard a telltale splash. He counted in his head, his heart pounding in his chest, _3… 2… 1…_ and Harry burst out of the water, sitting right next to Louis, the scales of his tail scratching against Louis’s jeans. Before Harry even had a minute to collect himself, Louis dove into Harry’s chest, tucking himself into Harry’s arms and wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist. Even though Harry literally spent all his time in the water, the minute he came on land, he was dry as Louis. It had completely boggled Louis’s mind at first. Now, he found comfort in Harry’s solid form.

Louis could remember a time when he was the stronger one, but now they were both grown up and Harry had become taller (er...longer) and broader. His strong arms wrapped around Louis completely as Harry nuzzled at the top of Louis’s head.

“Hey, boy blue.” Harry’s deep voice rumbled next to Louis’s ear. “Are you alright? What’s happened?”

Louis sat back, his eyes watery.

“My mum…” He croaked out. “She…” Harry kept an arm resting on Louis’s shoulders and pushed the thumb of his other hand into Louis’s hip. It was a simple gesture, one they’d adopted years before. It meant safety. Trust. “Harry, she’s gone.” Louis took in a shuddering breath. “She died a month ago.”

He let out a sob and dropped his head into his hands. The pain hadn’t eased. It hurt every time he realized his mother would never again ask him what he was reading, how his writing was going, how the cat was. She’d never again ask him about his studies, or Niall, or Harry. Even now, it still hurt, and it took all the strength he had stored up just to tell Harry.

But that’s all Harry needed.

“Lou. I’m so sorry.” He said. His arms were back around Louis in an instant, and Louis tucked his forehead into Harry’s neck, letting his free hand swirl circles on Harry’s tail. It was a habit he’d picked up as a teenager and he knew it comforted them both. “Is that why you’re here early?”

Louis nodded and pushed his thumb into Harry’s hip, right where his skin changed to scale. “I bought the cottage. I sold mum’s house and bought the cottage.”

Louis felt Harry’s pulse quicken for a beat.

“You’re…” he swallowed, his voice surprised. “You’re here permanently?”

Louis shrugged.

“There isn’t any other place I wanted to go. I didn’t need the house; I didn’t want to live in the city. I’m done with uni, I can live wherever I want. I have a book to finish.” He felt Harry squeeze his shoulders and tuck his nose into Louis’s hair again. It was comforting. It reminded him why he’d come out here in the first place. “I wanted to see you more than just in the summers.”

Harry didn’t speak for several minutes. They sat listening to the waves, Louis still tracing circles in Harry’s tail, Harry’s arms firmly wrapped around him.

Finally, Harry spoke.

“I’m sorry about Jay, Louis. She was like a second mother to me. I can’t believe she’s gone.” He pushed this thumb deeper into Louis’s side. “But I’m really glad you’re here. To stay.”Louis nodded and Harry continued. “I actually was hoping you’d move out here after uni. I know we’d never talked about it, but I’m not going to be traveling with my mum anymore. I’ll be staying in the North Sea year round so I thought maybe we could…” He shrugged under Louis’s head. “Spend more time together.” He said this last bit quietly and Louis nuzzled his neck, his heart picking up the pace at Harry’s tender admission. He wanted the same thing.

“I’d like that.” He sat up fully and gazed out at the horizon. “Can you take me down to the city sometime soon? Mum left some things for your mum.”

Harry smiled. “We haven’t done that since we were… god, like sixteen?”

Louis chuckled. “I was seventeen when I first asked you to take me down. And you took me for Gemma’s wedding two years ago, remember?”

Harry’s dimples popped out. “Of course! I can’t believe I forgot! You were such a pest about it too. You practically had a tantrum when I told you I wasn’t sure if I could bring you down.”

“Hey, Gemma did too. I didn’t want to miss it! It’s not every day the daughter of an ambassador gets married.”

“Or the son of said ambassador brings a human visitor. Remember we had such a hard time figuring out what you were going to wear?”

Louis laughed. “I still can’t believe I let you wrap me in seaweed.”

“Hey, it’s traditional! Humans who visited hundreds of years ago…”

Louis pushed his thumb to Harry’s hip. “I know.” He said gently, smiling at the merman. “I didn’t mind actually. It was quite comfy.”

Gemma’s wedding had been a sight to behold -  undersea splendor, complete with a whale choir and merpeople from all over the world. Louis had been the only human in attendance, seaweed wrapped around his hips and draped off his shoulders. That was the closest he’d ever felt to actually being a merman.

Harry hadn’t left his side the entire time. He had introduced Louis to his whole world - the ambassadors his mother worked with, the kids he helped teach, some of his childhood friends, a whale shark. Harry had even shown Louis the newly polished cave Gemma and her husband would be living in. And when Louis had been reluctant to return to land, Harry had taken his hand and they had broken the surface together. They swam to shore and sat watching the stars in companionable silence.

It was similar to how they were sitting now. Harry’s hand rested on the rock behind Louis and their shoulders leaned into one another. Louis flicked the water with his toes, watching the ripples run into the fins of Harry’s tail. The sky was slowly getting darker and the stars were beginning to show. There was a slight breeze and Louis shivered.

“We should probably get back,” Harry said, rubbing Louis’s back. “Not that I want to but neither of us can sleep on rocks.” He chuckled.

Louis sighed but smiled at Harry. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Harry nodded. “I’ll be here just after sunrise. Gemma invited me to breakfast.”

“Tomorrow morning then.”

Harry slid into the water and tugged at one of Louis’s ankles with a grin that showed his dimples. “I’ll see you later, boy blue.”

“See you later, Curly,” Louis said as he watched Harry swim out of the cove, the motions of his green tail making ripples in the water.

Louis stayed on the rock for a little longer, watching Harry for as long as he could, before standing up and walking back to the cottage. The sun was just setting, so he pulled his boxes from the car and set them in the living room - he’d unpack them tomorrow. After sleep, and after Harry.

 

Louis woke up to the slivers of sunrise peeking through his curtains. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, putting his glasses on before climbing out of bed and ambling to the window to open the curtains.

The view from the cottage had been the main reason Jay had rented it in the first place. It was small, just two bedrooms upstairs, a small kitchen, living room, and breakfast nook downstairs. But the back bedroom and the living room had big windows looking out onto the sea and the cove that had always been his and Harry’s.

His fondest memories - of his mum, of Niall, of Harry - had all happened at this cottage, or down by the cove. It was his favorite place on Earth - the one glimmering piece of hope in the wake of his mother’s death. This was where he could come home.

He walked downstairs, turning on the fireplace and the tea kettle, and pulling a mug out of the cupboard. He curled up on the couch with his tea and a blanket, and gazed outside, grinning to himself as one particular memory came to mind: his nineteenth birthday.

Harry and Louis had started a tradition the moment they realized they both had winter birthdays, and would never get the chance to really celebrate together. They decided that every summer they’d each pick a day especially for them. It was simple at first, but the more the tradition grew, the more their surprises outdid themselves.

It was his first summer during uni and Harry had asked a group of white-beaked dolphins to do a series of jumps in celebration. Louis and Jay had sat in their living room and Harry had sat on the beach just below the window, grinning from ear to ear. Louis had wanted to sit with Harry but Harry was insistent (“Because you’ll have the best view there, Lou!”).

Louis had taken Harry on a motorcycle ride later that day. Harry had wanted to ride one ever since they’d watched Captain America, so Louis rented a bike, hid Harry’s tail with some strategically placed blankets and drove them up and down the beach for an hour. Harry said it was a worthy exchange. Louis mostly liked having Harry’s arms wrapped around him.

That night, Jay had smiled at Louis fondly, differently. She’d kissed him on the cheek, asked how his birthday was, and when he claimed it was the best ever, she nodded, as if satisfied with his answer. He’d puzzled over it for years, and now it was one of the things he regretted not asking her.

He took a sip of his tea before stretching across the couch and reaching for the box sitting at the other end. It held his sketchbooks and pencils. He pulled out a book at random, flipping through page after page of Harry, the horizon line, the cottage, his mother, Niall (mostly laughing), and what he could remember of Harry’s home.  

He’d only seen Harry’s home four times: three times that one beautiful summer when he was seventeen and once for Gemma’s wedding when he was twenty-one. It wasn’t something humans could do many times, because a merperson bringing a human to their city meant… well, Louis had never gotten a straight answer out of Harry.

But considering the only way to bring a human underwater for an extended amount of time was to kiss them, Louis could guess the significance. And it made him wonder at the true nature of his friendship with Harry.

If he was honest, he’d been in love with Harry since he was thirteen.

But he couldn’t be honest. Harry was a merman and Louis was a human. It was like a cat being in love with a dog. He shook his head and set the sketchbook back on the coffee table before standing and stretching.

He was out the door and down to the cove three minutes later with a thermos of tea, a box of scones Liam had made, and a blanket. When he got to the cove, Harry was already there, leaning back on his arms and lazily flicking his tail in the water. He looked up and grinned as Louis laid out the blanket next to him.

“Morning, boy blue,” Harry said as he rolled onto the blanket. Louis chuckled and sat down next to Harry, nudging his shoulder with his knee.

“Morning, Curly. Tea?” Louis offered up the thermos and Harry took it, taking a sip while Louis opened the box of scones. “Liam sent them. He said they’re for me but I’m ninety percent certain he intended me to share them with you.”

Harry chuckled. “Good ol’ Liam. Has he told Zayn he loves him yet?”

Louis laughed out loud. Harry’s grin widened at the sound. “He did, actually. About two months ago. They can hardly be away from each other now. It’s sweet.” He smiled to himself, and glanced at the merman next to him. Harry was playing with his fingers, his nervous habit that Louis found incredibly endearing.

“Have you…” Harry began, then swallowed. “Have you found anyone like that? For you?” He looked at Louis curiously, his green eyes reading the things in Louis’s that only he could understand.

Louis shrugged, breaking off a piece of scone and casting his eyes downward to avoid eye contact.

“Not really.”

Sometimes he wondered if Harry could see into his soul. Mermaids had their own brand of magic -it was a possibility. He wasn’t sure what Harry would find if he looked into Louis’s soul.

“Not Niall?” Harry frowned at his fingers.

Louis laughed.

“No! Niall’s like a brother. I love him but not like that.” He shuddered and Harry chuckled. “I just… haven’t found the right partner I guess.” He poked Harry on the shoulder. “Why? Are you telling me you found someone? Some merman to go off with?” Saying it stirred up tension in his chest. The idea of Harry with anyone was… uncomfortable. Louis didn’t want to share Harry with anyone.

Harry smiled softly. “No. Just haven’t found the right partner.”

Louis set his scone down and laid down on his back next to Harry. Harry’s tail was flicking back and forth, agitatedly curling and snapping. Louis watched the early morning light reflect off Harry’s tail and he thought for the millionth time that here, with Harry, was his favorite place in the world.

“Are you looking?” Louis asked, his voice coming out scratchy. “For someone, I mean?”

Harry chuckled.

“No. I don’t need to.” He shrugged and Louis felt Harry’s shoulder move against his own. He thought of pushing his thumb into Harry’s hip. They were always truthful when they did that.

It was his fear of learning the truth he wanted to hear that stopped him.

Harry sighed.

“So, how’s the cottage? Did you have a lot to move from your house?”

Louis shook his head. “No. I didn’t have much I wanted to bring. Most of mum’s things were given away and the cottage has furniture already. I just brought my laptop and my sketchbooks, and clothes and stuff.”

Harry nudged his shoulder.

“You should take me up for dinner sometime. We haven’t done that in ages either.”

“I’ve spent the entire summer here every year since I was seventeen,” Louis said, grinning. “What have we spent our time doing the past six years?” Harry laughed at that. “I haven’t taken you to the cottage, you haven’t taken me to the city, aside from Gemma’s wedding.”

“Well,” Harry drawled, “we did save Marty’s life. I took you scuba diving. You wrote. I worked with my mum. Niall visited. Liam visited. Zayn visited. We spent a lot of time sitting on this rock talking or watching movies.” Harry and Louis both grinned.

“Not a bad way to spend time,” Louis said. “But I’m here permanently now.” He rolled over onto his side and pushed his thumb into Harry’s side. “I want to _be here_ now. With you.”

Harry looked over at Louis, his eyes concentrating on Louis’s face and eyes and mouth.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He said quietly. “I miss you when you’re gone.”

“I missed you too,” Louis replied. He suddenly became keenly aware of how close their faces were. He could see the shades of green in Harry’s eyes and feel his breath on his face. “But I’m here now.”

It felt like a promise.   


It was a week later and Louis was just putting the last of his books on the bookshelves by the fireplace when he heard a car pull into the driveway. He walked out to the front porch and was greeted by the familiar sight of Niall bounding up the stairs.

“Hey mate!” Niall said, throwing his arms around Louis and hugging him tightly. “How are ya?”

“Hi, Niall,” Louis said with a smile. “I’m alright. Come on in.”

The two walked into the house, and Louis put on the kettle while Niall stashed his stuff upstairs. Niall came bounding down then, and made himself comfy on the couch. Niall had spent almost as much time in the cottage as Louis. His parents liked to travel, so Jay would always invite him to come along with her and Louis. Aside from Louis and Jay, Niall was Harry’s closest human friend.  

Louis carried tea over to Niall, who was gazing at the window with a smile on his face. “I’ve never seen any other merpeople aside from Harry, Gemma, and Anne. They’re so small!” He took his tea from Louis and Louis sat across from him to look out the window.

Harry had brought a few young merkids up to the cove to let them swim around and explore land for the first time. Harry and Louis’s experience had shown them the cove was safe and covered from prying eyes and Louis had promised he’d keep an eye out from the cottage. From their spot at the window, Niall and Louis could see Harry watching over the little merkids as they frolicked in the cove.

“Can we go down and meet them?” Niall asked, taking a sip of his tea.

Louis grinned and shook his head. “Nope. That’s next week.”

Niall’s laugh filled the dusty corners of the cottage. Louis hadn’t been able to bring Harry up to the cottage all week and Niall being there was like a breath of fresh air. “But I’ll be gone by then!”

Louis chuckled with him. “Sorry, mate. Harry’s a very dedicated teacher of human-merfolk safety. He’s not rushing them.”

“Oh come on, I know you’re dying to rush down there and say hello too,” Niall said, nudging Louis’s knee. His smirk told Louis it was pointless to try and say otherwise.

“Yep! But I’ll see them next week.” Louis said with a grin and a shrug, watching Harry help a young merboy scootch up the sand. Harry looked entirely in his element, wrangling the kids and laughing at their antics. Louis didn’t catch Niall watching him until he felt something poke him in the ribs. “Oi!”

Niall smirked at him. “So how much have you and Harry seen each other since you moved?”

“Every day. Why?”

“Uh-huh.” Niall took another sip of his tea and ignored Louis's inquisitive look. “When do I get to see him?”

“As soon as the kiddos leave, he told me we could go down.” Louis had saved unpacking the things he wanted in the living room specifically for Niall’s arrival. Not because he was organized, but because that way he could keep an eye on when he could see Harry.

It wasn't the first time he wondered if he could go into withdrawal from a person.

He and Niall sat in silence for a little while. It was the first sunny day since Louis had arrived at the cove, and the sun was filtering into the cottage, casting shadows across the rooms.

When Jay died, Louis’s first instinct had been to get to the sea as fast as he could. He knew the cottage wasn't much, but in the narrow living room the couch sat just in front of the fireplace, squashy and welcoming. The bookshelves on either side of the fireplace were now full of books, records, and DVDs. In the corner was Louis’s record player. It felt like home.

Eventually, Niall broke the silence. “So Lou, how are you really doing?”

Louis stared at his take for a moment, his forehead creased in a frown.

“I’m alright. As alright as I can be. I miss her.” He took in a shaky breath, but no tears threatened to fall. “I miss her a lot. But being here has helped. It reminds me of her but I also don't feel like the grief will haunt me here.”

Niall nodded. “I bet seeing Harry helped.” It was a statement, like “the sky is blue” or “what goes up, must come down”. Factual, truthful, and complete.  “You’re always most yourself around him.”

Louis had never considered this before, but right as he was about to, Niall’s face split into a wide grin and a high pitched whistle pierced the cove. Niall and Louis were up in a flash and out the door to the cove in an instant, Niall whooping as they went.

“Niall!” Harry cried, his dimples bursting onto his face from where he sat on the cove waiting for them. Louis watched in awe and shock as Niall ripped off his shirt, kicked off his sandals and tackled Harry into the water.

Louis keeled over laughing, clutching his stomach as the two burst up out of the water, sputtering and laughing. He was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice as Harry surged upward. By the time he felt Harry wrap his arms around his waist, he was already halfway into the sea.

He surfaced, giggling and coughing and sputtering, Harry’s arms still around his waist. Harry was grinning like an idiot, his dimples prominent on his face and Niall was hooting a laugh and swimming laps around them.

“Harry, I think I lost a shoe thanks to you,” Louis said, pretending to be upset, and running his toes along Harry’s tail. Harry just smirked, unwrapped his arms from around Louis’s waist, and dove under the water. Louis chuckled before taking a deep breath and diving into the water right behind him.

When Louis was a kid, he’d been afraid of the water. His mother had signed him up for swimming classes when he was six and it had taken him a month to actually get in the pool. The following summer was when he’d met Harry and that was all the encouragement he’d needed. He’d taken to water like a fish and each summer, Harry taught him how to get better. With Harry’s help, Louis could now hold his breath underwater for almost four minutes.

Now, as he dove into the water letting his arms do the pulling work, he slowly opened his eyes and took in the cove.

He and Harry had spent years swimming here, and for Louis, there was nowhere on the entire planet Earth that was as magical. Because it was sheltered, the water didn’t get rustled much, leaving it bright blue. Louis could see down twenty feet, where the coral and sea creatures lived. He could see Marty, the octopus he and Harry had saved from a net, loafing around by the entrance to the cove, Harry running his hands through his hair and talking with a stingray, and Niall counting something in the coral.

The cove was bright with color, and the sunlight filtered through the water, causing rays of yellow to trickle around him. Louis let himself pause, suspended and floating, just watching. For the first time since his mother’s death, he felt like things were going to be okay.

He swam deeper and felt a familiar brushing over his calves. He grinned when Harry swam up underneath him, holding Louis’s runaway shoe in his hand.

“Found it,” Harry said with a cheeky grin.

Louis loved hearing Harry talk underwater. It was ethereal, soft, and sounded like whispers of wind on the tide. He smiled and took his shoe back, watching as Harry swam around him in a circle and up to the surface. Louis followed, and he and Niall surfaced at the same time.

“Help me remember the number sixteen, Louis,” Niall said, as he counted on his fingers and tread water.

“Sure, what for?”

“I got a grant to do research on coral in the Indian Ocean. I wanted to do a bit of research while I was here to compare.” Niall had studied marine biology and conservation at university. Whenever he was visiting Harry, Louis sat through endless conversations on the habits of different mammals, what the merfolk were doing, how Niall could guide his co-workers to be good stewards too. “The coral here is just so healthy, it’s perfect for comparison.”

Harry was swimming lazily around them, his tail flicking at Louis’s legs as he treaded water. Louis splashed him and Harry just chuckled, swimming around Louis so quickly he got spun around.

“Alright you two flirts, I’m going to go grab my notebook so I can take notes,” Niall said, hoisting himself out of the water. “Don’t do anything exciting without me.” He glanced over at the two of them, Harry still swimming around Louis and Louis giggling as he waved at Niall. Louis missed the fond look passing over Niall’s features as he watched them, the way he rolled his eyes with friendly exasperation - and maybe, if Louis _had_ noticed, he’d have thought to ask _why_ Niall looked at them like that.

But as it was, Harry was spinning him around so fast he was starting to get dizzy.

“Curly!” Louis cried, and Harry stopped, sliding his arms around Louis’s waist, his tail flicking in between Louis’s legs, holding him above the water so he could catch his breath. Louis chuckled and sighed, his own arms loosely wrapping around Harry’s neck. “You’re a menace.” It was whispered like a secret and came out with much more fondness than Louis intended.

Harry just shrugged, his arms around Louis sturdy and strong, holding him like the only place in the world his arms belonged was around Louis.

“Maybe. But I make you laugh.”

Louis grinned and adjusted his legs, so that more of his weight was resting on Harry’s tail, the two of them floating and bobbing in the water. “You do make me laugh.”

Harry’s green eyes searched his. “You look lighter somehow.”

Louis nodded. “Being in the cove, it just made me feel like things will be okay.” He heard Niall whistling as he returned to the cove, and began to slide his arms off Harry, only to feel Harry’s arms tighten around him. It caused his heart to beat faster and when he looked into Harry’s face, all he saw was tenderness.

Louis vaguely heard Niall slide back into the water, more aware of the way Harry was looking at him than anything else. Harry spoke then, loud enough for Niall to hear too.

“Why don’t you two come SCUBA diving with me later this week?” He asked, turning his gaze away from Louis to look at Niall. “There’s a reef not far from here that you’ll be able to get good samples from, Niall.”

Niall and Harry continued talking about the reef and samples and what Niall was researching and that’s when Louis became incredibly aware. Of everything.

He and Harry had ended up in this position plenty of times: Harry’s arms around Louis’s waist, his tail wrapped around Louis’s legs, Louis’s arms around Harry’s neck. The very first time it’d happened was when they were ten and twelve, and Louis got caught under a tumbling wave. Harry had dived in and gathered Louis up to get him to the surface.

It had become a position they returned to often. When they teased each other when Louis would attempt to start a splash war, when Louis’s human endurance didn’t last as long as Harry’s merman endurance, when one of them was upset or tired or hurt or angry. They’d normally move away from each other after a moment, not lingering despite how much Louis wished they would.

But this time, Harry was staying. Louis felt Harry’s hands holding his hips, spread wide to hold Louis’s head above water, covered in scars from when he helped a jellyfish out a net three years prior. His tail, as long as Louis was tall, was wrapped around Louis’s left thigh and woven through his legs and around his right calf.

It might make anyone else a bit frightened, having a powerful sea creature completely in control of whether or not he could breathe, but Louis wasn’t worried for an instant. He let Harry and Niall’s conversation fade into the background and rested his head on Harry’s chest. Just for a moment.

“Should we go on Tuesday, Louis?” Niall’s voice pulled Louis’s conscience back to the present moment. He swallowed, lifted his head and pulled himself away slowly, Harry’s tail untangling from his legs.

“Yeah, that sounds great,” Louis answered. He felt cold without Harry so close but he ignored it. It wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on.

 

Two days later, Louis, Harry, and Niall were lounging on the sand in the cove and watching the sun sink down, the remains of a picnic dinner scattered around them and Niall munching on the rest of a chocolate chip cookie. Louis was leaning against Harry, using his tail as a pillow while Harry absentmindedly nibbled on the leftovers of the baguette Louis had bought.

“So Harry, did Louis tell you about his most recent publication?” Niall said, looking at Louis mischievously. “Because the London Times published one of his essays on marine stewardship and the pencil sketch he did last year of the cove.”

“Niall!” Louis said, his face turning red, right as Harry said, “Louis!” and pulled Louis’s hair.

Louis’s let his head fall back into Harry’s hand. Harry tugged at Louis’s hair and said, “Louis, you did _not_ tell me. You got published again!” Louis could feel Harry’s deep chuckle reverberate all the way down past his hips that were pressed against Louis’s shoulders

“Yeah alright, yeah. I got published again.” Louis said, his focus more on Harry’s fingers running through his hair than on sharing the good news. “I was waiting to get extra copies so I could show you.”

Niall chuckled. “He’s being too humble about it, Harry. The London Times is a big deal. He could get a deal with them to write more if people like his article.”

Louis shrugged and relaxed further into Harry’s tail. “It would be a good break.” He said.

“I’m proud of you, Lou,” Harry said, and Louis could hear it in his voice. “Is that how you could buy the cottage?”

Niall chuckled. “He’s not that rich yet, mate.” Harry’s hand stilled in Louis’s hair, just for an instant.

Louis turned to look at Harry. It wasn’t very often that there was something about the human world that Harry didn’t understand now. He’d grown up with Louis and they had learned things together. But money was a foreign concept to merpeople. They didn’t take payment of any kind and mostly just traded for what they needed.

It still embarrassed Harry whenever he didn’t quite understand something about the human world, and Louis hated seeing Harry feel embarrassed. He got all quiet and submissive - not the usual playful, bright light of Louis’s life.

Once, when Louis was nineteen, Harry had told him that not knowing things about the human world made him feel far away from Louis - like he couldn’t reach Louis because of how different they were. Louis assured him that it didn’t matter. Nothing could pull Harry away from him.

Ever since then, they’d resolved to tell each other everything, explain everything as best they could. It helped that Harry had taken Louis down to the mercity and that the two of them had watched movies on the beach, and now that Louis had moved out to the beach permanently, maybe those instances of Harry’s confusion would be fewer and farther in between.

Louis reached out then and pushed his thumb into Harry’s hip. _It’s alright. I’m here. No need to be embarrassed._ Harry relaxed and Louis did too, knowing Harry was at ease again. Niall didn’t even notice their exchange, but the grateful look Harry sent Louis made him want to freeze time.

“It helped,” Louis said, looking at Harry with a soft smile. “Mostly I used the money from selling the house in town. But hopefully, the spot will get me some good connections.”

Harry hummed. “Well, you should show me a copy. I want to see it. Or I’ll think you’re hiding things from me or something.”

Louis chuckled. “I could never! Bothering you with my achievements is one of my greatest pastimes, Haz. You were the first person I told when I published my first piece four years ago.”

“Oy!” Niall said indignantly.

“I told you third!” Louis said. “But mum had to know and Harry did too. Plus I was here. You were off in Italy with your family.” Louis grinned and whispered to himself. “Besides, Harry’s more important.”

“As it should be,” Harry whispered, tugging on Louis’s ear. Louis just grinned, his cheeks heating up with a pleased pink as Harry’s tail flicked him on the arm.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny. Niall was itching to get into the water, dashing about the house and getting everything ready for their excursion with Harry. Louis moved with a bit more serenity, making a cup of tea, gathering his gear and telling Niall he’d see him down at the cove where they planned to meet Harry.

Harry was sitting on their rock, lazily flicking his tail in the water, whistling some song or other that Louis couldn’t be bothered to recognize. Instead, he let out his own whistle as he approached Harry. Harry turned, his hair flipping across his face, a wide grin shining up at Louis.

“Ready for a big swim today?” Harry asked as Louis set down his things and started pulling on his wetsuit.

“Definitely,” Louis said, fighting his foot into the leg of the suit. “Did I tell you I started swimming every day? At school, I was swimming for several hours a day.”

Harry rescued Louis’s struggling foot and helped Louis hop into the rest of the suit so he could pull it up his chest.

“Was that for practice or are you trying to turn into a merman?” Harry joked easily.

Louis stilled,  and his heart pounded in his chest. “Harry, you told me there’s no way for me to become a merman.”

It was a conversation they’d had many times and they always came to the same end: “There’s no magic like that among the mermaids, Louis. You’re a human and I’m a merman and trying to change one of us into the other is like trying to change a horse into a dolphin. It’s simply not possible.”

Not that they didn’t wish it. It still threw Louis off every time he read up on magic or transformations. Harry’s joke hit him harder than it should have, but Louis couldn’t deny that he’d give anything for him and Harry to be the same species.

Harry’s hand paused on Louis’s hip.  “I’m sorry, boy blue, I was just teasing.”

Louis nodded and took a deep breath. “I know.” He shook his head in a weak attempt to clear his mind as he zipped up his wetsuit. “I know.”

Harry swallowed and Louis sat down next to Harry to put on his flippers. “It would be nice though, wouldn’t it? For us to be the same species.”

Louis glanced at Harry, his green eyes looking at Louis with something he’d never seen before, something a lot like longing. He wasn’t certain if the look in his own eyes betrayed him, but suddenly knowing Harry wanted the same thing…

“It would be amazing, Harry.” Louis sighed. “We’d swim around all the time and bother Gemma, and you could finally teach me that fancy jump you do when you and dolphins go racing.” He smiled gently at Harry and nudged their shoulders together. “At least we live in the same neighborhood now.”

Harry chuckled and Louis counted it as a win. “Yeah,” Harry said, his brow still furrowed. “Lou, do you ever think that…”

But Louis didn’t get to hear the rest of what Harry said because just behind them were the sounds of Niall dashing towards them.

“Are you boys ready for some diving?” He said excitedly, stopping just behind them and pulling on his flippers. “I’m all ready, Harry, I’ve even got my video camera. Don’t worry, I won’t get any footage of you, I just want to get the animals.”

Louis and Harry shared a look, Harry rolling his eyes. “Honestly, Niall, it’s a wonder you can function as a human at all. Your wetsuit is on backward!”

Louis laughed out loud as Niall swore and stripped right where he was. “It’s a wonder you’re as graceful as you are underwater actually. You should have been a fish.” Louis said impishly.

Niall’s head shot up. “Is that possible, Harry?” His eyes widened at the possibility, he stood frozen in place.

Harry just rolled his eyes and shook his head. “No, Niall. I think I’ve told you that before anyways."

Niall shrugged. “Yeah well, a man can dream, can’t he?”

Louis chuckled, and couldn’t help but notice the stark difference in Harry’s reaction depending on who asked the question.

With Niall, Harry was casual, calm - all facts. But with Louis he was… tender. Honest and earnest, almost as though the answer hurt him more when it was directed towards Louis, even though it was the same truth.

The three of them dove into the water once Louis and Niall got their oxygen tanks situated. Harry waited for their thumbs up before swimming forward, Louis and Niall following behind. Harry led them out of the cove and further out into the sea.

Louis could hear the whales’ songs in the distance, vibrating through the water. Just to his left, he could see a group of dolphins swimming around together. Ahead of him, the green flashes of Harry’s tail guided his way. Being in the sea, outside of the cove, wasn’t something that happened often, since Louis and Harry were more content to stay in their cove together.

But every so often, Louis would put on his scuba gear and let Harry lead him out into the sea. It was unlike any other place in the world, the open ocean that rested between his home and Harry’s underwater city. The deep blue that stretched so far that Louis felt like he and Harry were the only beings in the world. There, for a few moments, they didn’t feel like a human and a merman. They felt just like Harry and Louis - two friends in the great big blue.

Louis watched Harry do loop-de-loops around Niall, who swatted at him. The reef slowly came into sight and Harry burst forward, startling a group of brightly colored fish, before swimming back and doing loop-de-loops around Louis. Louis tried poking him as he passed by but Harry just grabbed his wrists and pulled Louis along. Louis stopped kicking, letting Harry drag him towards the reef, Niall already examining coral ahead of them.

Louis watched with glee as Harry swam them over the reef, fish scurrying about under them and around them in all colors of the rainbow, whirling and swirling around. The light filtered through the water, and Louis looked behind him to watch Harry’s tail reflect the light, casting green shadows on the coral below them. He glanced up at Harry’s face, the way his hair flowed behind him, the way his dimples popped out and his underwater gills showed just behind the dimples.

Harry finally slowed down and Louis turned himself to face Harry, the two of them swimming chest to chest, around the reef, around  Niall, smiling all the way.

Louis felt light. Swimming underwater was his favorite feeling, weightless and breezy, like he was fluttering in a windstorm of bliss. He let his hand run across the coral, let a few small fish cluster in his hand, and felt Harry’s tail wrap in between his legs.

Underwater, only Harry could speak, but more often than not, neither of them would talk. Instead, they’d gesture or just grin at each other at what was around them. Louis grinned as Harry pulled him towards him, naturally placing his arms around Harry’s neck. Harry smiled, blew bubbles in Louis’s face and flicked his tail, suspending them in an array of bright fish, sunlight, and felicity.

 

The three men spent the week mostly in the water or out on the cove, and the night before he left, Niall lit a bonfire. He, Louis, and Harry roasted marshmallows. It was one of Louis’s favorite things to do at the beach, and just like every single time they’d done this, Harry made a fuss.

“I got marshmallow in my gills!” He’d cried on cue, and Louis had giggled at him and handed over a napkin. If Louis was honest, he loved watching Harry roast his marshmallows with such intensity and precision.

Even if they did always end up stuck in his gills.

The morning after, as Niall and Louis finished loading up his car. Niall shut the trunk and paused, thinking.

“Louis, before I go…” He was wringing his hands and looking at Louis determinedly. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Sure,” Louis said, not quite sure where this was going, and wondering why his first thought went to Harry.

Niall looked at Louis seriously. “Did you ever… Lou, did you ever consider that maybe you and Harry are more than just… friends?”

Louis swallowed and his heart skipped a beat. He opened his mouth and closed it and opened it again.

“He’s a merman, Niall.”

“Yeah, the tail, I get that,” Niall said, no longer wringing his hands. “But there’s something special between you two. Surely you can see that. He cares for you. And you care for him. I don’t just study coral, you know. You two are obvious.”

Louis’s heart jumped, and he felt his face turn bright red. “But, Niall, it doesn’t matter…”

“Why?” Everything about Niall’s tone was stubborn, and suddenly, Louis felt angry. Why didn’t it matter? Why did it _not_ matter how much Louis cared for Harry?

“Because he’s a fucking merman, Niall!” Louis growled, taking a step towards Niall, just to get in his face. “If he was human then yes, maybe I would have done something by now, but I can’t… He’s….”

Niall rested his hand on Louis’s bicep. “I know. I get it. It’s not every day your best mate falls in love with a merman.”

“I’m not in love with him.” Even as he said it, the words felt like a half-truth at best.

“Maybe you aren’t.” Niall acquiesced. “But maybe you are. It’s something you should think on, at least.”

Niall’s words gave Louis pause - he had already thought about it. And he came to the same conclusion every time: they were two different species. To pretend any different, to hope for anything different… was foolhardy. But still, the idea had poked at Louis’s heart. Whenever he saw Harry smile, whenever they sat and talked for hours, he thought that maybe there was something there. Maybe he did love Harry, as more than a friend. The very idea gave him goosebumps and he couldn’t hold back the whine that erupted from him at the thought.

“And what if I am? In love with him, I mean?” Louis asked, terrified to his toes of what Niall would say. Would he tell Louis to leave? To say goodbye to Harry forever? Move inland?

He couldn’t be without Harry, he thought desperately. He just couldn’t.

“Then you might want to look into building an extension to the cottage.” Niall was smiling slightly now.

“What?” Louis blinked, completely taken aback.

“Well, if you do love him, I doubt you’ll ever end up living anywhere else. And you can’t exactly keep carrying him up the beach into your old age. You could extend the deck, add on like a sunroom or something.”

“Niall…” Louis hung his head and rubbed his forehead. Niall wasn’t telling him to leave Harry. He was telling him the exact opposite.

“I’m just saying. There’s something _there_ , Louis. Something worth pursuing. And I think Harry can tell too."

Louis’s head snapped up.

“ _What_ ?” His mouth opened and closed wordlessly, trying to wrap his mind around him and Harry as… as a… as a _them_.

Niall unlocked his car. “I’m not oblivious, Lou. Neither are you and neither is Harry.”

“When did you notice?” Louis asked, his voice cracking. “I mean… When did we make you wonder about us, I guess.”

Niall gave Louis a soft smile. “I knew the minute I met him. The minute I saw how you were together. You two are inevitable.” He got into his car and started the engine. “I’ll text when I get to London.”

Louis nodded and waved as Niall pulled out of the driveway, frozen in place. He and Harry? Harry and him?  


_They arrived at the cottage and Louis had unpacked his things, thrown on a sweater to ward off the night chill and was out the door before Niall had even opened his suitcase. He liked Niall well enough, having only met him three hours prior, but Louis had one thing on his mind. Seeing Harry._

_“Louis.” His mother’s voice stopped him as he cleared the bottom step from the porch. He turned reluctantly._

_“Yes, mum?” He grimaced and clenched his fists._

_She walked down the stairs towards him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Don't be long now, alright? We’ll be having dinner soon and I don’t want Niall to feel left out.”_

_“But mum, Harry!” There was distress in his voice and Louis felt his chest tighten._

_“I know, darling,” Jay said. “I’ll make sure you see Harry as much as you can.” She smiled. “I’m looking forward to seeing Anne, myself.”_

_Louis grinned up at his mum and hugged her, squeezing her around the middle, hard. “Thanks, mum.” He said._

_She stroked his hair. “Go see Harry, love.”_

_One more squeeze and he was off across the rocks, scrambling as fast as his sandal-clad feet could carry him. He was barely to his rock when he whistled, catching his breath as he heard Harry’s response and the soft trickles of a tail propelling Harry forward._

_Louis sat on the rock just as Harry’s head popped out of the water._

_“Hi, boy blue.” Harry’s grin was wide and his eyes sparkled._

_“Hi Curly,” Louis replied._

_Harry hoisted himself up next to Louis on the rock, tail grazing legs and two bony shoulders knocking together. “Did you just get here?”_

_“Yep. I should get a medal for speedy unpacking.” The two boys chuckled._

_“Did you bring Half-Blood Prince?” Harry asked with a smirk._

_Louis scoffed. “What do you take me for, forgetful? Of course, I brought it! I’ll bring it when I see you tomorrow.”_

_Harry nodded, satisfied. “Is… Is Niall here?” He was biting his lip, a habit he’d picked up when he was nervous._

_Louis nodded once. “I’m not sure what to do about him. I’d rather spend all my time with…”_

_“Oi! Oi!” The bright voice had Louis whipping around, trying to shield Harry from prying eyes. He heard Harry lower himself into the water just as Niall came to stand on their rock. “Who’re you talking to, Louis?” Niall’s eyes brightened and Louis almost groaned. Niall had seen Harry. “Hi! I’m Niall.” He strode right to the edge of Louis’s rock and held out his hand with a smile._

_Louis whipped back around to Harry, feeling an intense need to protect him. Not that he needed protecting but Harry was glancing dubiously at Niall’s hand and Louis just didn't know what to do. How would Niall react? Would Niall judge them? Would Niall tell someone? Louis shrugged and Harry reached up to take Niall’s hand. “I’m Harry.”_

_“Sweet!” Niall sat down next to Louis, right where Harry had been. “Are you the merboy Lou is always drawing in art class?”_

_Louis’s jaw dropped. Harry’s eyes widened. Niall glanced between them and chuckled._

_“Hasn't he told you? He’s one of the best sketchers in class. Always drawing sea scenes, and mythical sea creatures. He’s got your eyes down, mate.” Louis had completely forgotten that he and Niall shared an art class. He’d also never told Harry how much he drew him. Or his eyes._

_Harry looked curiously at Louis. “He hasn't told me.” Louis felt himself go pink and Harry grinned. “I guess now I know what to bother him about.”_

_Niall laughed and Harry chuckled. “Is your tail green like Louis draws it?” Niall asked._

_Harry floated on his back and flicked his tail up out of the water, his green scales shimmering in the light of the setting sun._

_“Wicked,” Niall said with a grin._

_Louis continued to sit, completely dumbfounded, as Harry and Niall talked about his tail, how fast he could swim, and how Niall had tried out for the track team. Niall didn't seem phased in the slightest and asked questions like if Harry had ever seen the Little Mermaid and if the marine biologists were doing any good._

_Harry kept glancing at Louis, a grin slowly pulling his dimples out of their hiding spots. Distracted from Niall’s tirade about the Orcas at Seaworld, Louis reached out and poked one, prompting a giggle from Harry and a chuckle from Niall. Louis didn't even feel embarrassed._

_It felt nice to not have to hide Harry from someone._

_“So what do you two do for fun here?” Niall asked, swinging his legs in the water. Louis flicked Harry in the chest with his toe. Harry held onto Louis’s ankles to keep himself from floating away and giggled at Louis’s toes wiggling in the water._

_“Louis has been reading the sixth Harry Potter to me,” Harry said, looking up at Niall. “We’re like halfway through.”_

_“Sweet!” Niall’s eyes lit up. “Can we do that tomorrow, Louis?”_

_Louis nodded. “Yeah sure. Mum will make a picnic too if we want.”_

_Harry tugged at one of Louis’s ankles. “Can you ask her to send the tomato stuff?”_

_“Bruschetta?” Louis asked, tilting his head to the side._

_Harry nodded eagerly. “Yeah!”_

_Just as Louis was about to say he'd ask, he heard Jay calling for him._

_“Over here, mum!” And she climbed over the rocks, eyebrows raising to her hairline when she saw the three boys talking together._

_“Hi, Jay!” Harry said. Harry had grown very fond of Jay over the years. He loved everything she cooked and Louis found it incredibly endearing that his merman friend was so interested in human food._

_“Hello, Harry. How are you?” Jay settled on a rock nearby._

_“I'm great!” He flicked his tail. “Mum’s excited to see you. Can we do a picnic tomorrow? Mum and Gemma would love it!” He spoke faster than Louis had ever heard him, his words almost tumbling over each other._

_Jay just chuckled. “That sounds lovely. Shall I make that bruschetta that you like so much?”_

_Harry nodded. Louis felt utterly delighted by his grin._

_“It’s a date then,” Jay said. “Now, Niall, Louis. It’s bedtime.” She glanced between the two boys. Niall got up, politely obedient and Louis pouted, reluctant to leave Harry._

_“Alrighty, Jay,” Niall said, jumping to his feet and walking up to her. “Night, Harry!” He started the walk back to the cottage._

_“Don't be too long, Lou,” Jay said, before following Niall up the path. Louis watched her, feeling Harry’s eyes on him. He slowly turned around and faced Harry, whose face was bright, his grin threatening to break his face. Louis felt his cheeks turn pink again._

_“So…” Harry said, tugging on one of Louis’s ankles and wiggling his tail. “You draw me?”_

_“Maybe,” Louis said. He felt Harry tug on his ankle again and the sensation sent warm tingly feelings up his leg. “I’m not as good as Niall says. He was just being nice.”_

_Harry hummed. “He doesn't seem like he was just being nice.”_

_Louis shoved Harry’s shoulder. “You just want to see my drawings.”_

_“Yep!” Harry chuckled and Louis couldn't help the way he grinned back._

_He went to bed that night after pulling his sketchbook out of the drawer in his nightstand. He flipped through the images, landing on one he had drawn back over Easter break. Harry was sitting on their rock, playing with some ribbon Louis had brought for him. He had a bright smile as he looked down at his hands and his tail was a vibrant green against the grey of the rock beneath him._

_It was Louis’s favorite drawing he’d ever done of Harry._

_He fell asleep with the sketchbook under his pillow. He dreamt of swimming in the sea with Harry. Harry, who held his hand and showed him all the things he hadn't seen yet. Harry’s tail looked brighter, richer under the water. In his dream, Louis’s tail glowed blue._  


Autumn arrived at the coast earlier than the rest of the country. The trees down the road from the cottage turned orange and red and the sunshine came out less and less as the days sped into October. Louis started bringing more varieties of hot beverages down to the cove, much to Harry’s delight. Louis also started wearing more and more clothing, much to Harry’s dismay.

They were sitting on their rock one warmer afternoon, watching the cove, sipping a new tea that Zayn had sent Louis when Harry grabbed the sweatshirt Louis had shed earlier and pulled it over his head with a grunt. Louis watched with shock spread across his features.

“What?” Harry asked, running a hand through his hair, the sweatshirt fitting tightly across his shoulders. He tugged at the hem and sighed contentedly.

“Curly, I’ve known you for over fifteen years and I’ve never seen you wear anything,” Louis said, doing a poor job of hiding his grin. Harry looked positively endearing in his sweatshirt. It did things to his heart that both scared him and thrilled him.

Harry shrugged. “I don’t know why it took me so long… It’s so soft!” He hugged his middle and Louis chuckled at the sight of this long, strong merman wearing his pale pink sweatshirt.

“It matches your tail,” Louis said, feeling his eyes crinkle up as he smiled. “Just don’t go swimming in it. It won’t be soft in the water.”

Harry hummed and laid down on the rock, his hands resting on his stomach. “I can tell why you like these things. I’m all warm now.”

Louis rolled his eyes and laid down next to Harry, getting as close as he dared. “You’re never cold, Harry. You’re a merman. You automatically adjust your body temperature to your location.”

It was Harry’s turn to chuckle. “Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate it.” He turned his head to look at Louis. “Besides, it smells like you.”

Louis felt his cheeks tinge pink and he defaulted to teasing. “God, I hope it smells okay… I can’t remember when I last washed it.”

Harry just smiled demurely and rolled onto his side. “I like how you smell.” He propped himself up on his elbow and gazed down at Louis with something that could only be described as fondness. It made Louis’s stomach do flip-flops.

Louis smiled back, humoring him. “I like how you smell too. You know you smell like salt?”

Harry smirked. “You calling me salty, Lou?”

Louis chuckled and rolled on his side to mirror Harry. “Yep. Absolutely.” He poked Harry’s dimples with his finger.

Harry rolled his eyes. “The only way that’s an apt description is because I actually live in saltwater. No other definition of that word applies.”

“It wouldn’t apply to either of us, I guess,” Louis said, noticing for the first time how close their faces were. It made his heart pound in his chest, a feeling he was becoming more and more familiar with since Niall’s conversation.  

“We don’t exactly get around, do we?” Harry said, his eyes tracing over Louis’s face. “We’re too busy being together.”

Louis swallowed and said truthfully, “I like that best.”

Harry smiled and reached out a finger, tracing it along Louis’s cheek. His fingers were warm, tender, and Louis was certain that instead of getting goosebumps from Harry touching him like this, he should be wondering why Harry’s fingers weren’t cold.

But he _was_ getting goosebumps. And he didn’t want Harry to stop touching his face.

“I like that too, Lou,” Harry said softly. He opened his mouth to say something when they heard a commotion at their feet. A mermaid and a merkid were emerging out of the water… more noisily than Louis had ever heard them.

“Hello, boys!” Gemma flashed them both a smile, her voice rising over the din her son was making. “I hope we’re not interrupting anything.” She lifted her eyebrows at Harry wearing Louis’s sweatshirt but didn’t say anything. Instead, she just smirked.

“Uncle Harry, I get to meet your huuuuuuman friend!” A little merboy swam up to where Harry and Louis sat on their rock. He had a red tail and dimples exactly like Harry’s and swam right up to Louis, poking at Louis’s toes that now floated in the water. “What are these?”

Harry chuckled and scooped up the merboy. “Si, you should probably actually meet Louis before you go tugging at his toes.” Harry sat the merboy on his lap and grinned over at Louis.

“You must be Harry’s nephew?” Louis asked, holding out his hand. “I’m Louis.”

“Yeah, I’m Simon.” Simon took Louis’s hand and lifted it, pulling at his fingers and looking underneath it. Gemma, Harry, and Louis chuckled.

“Si, darling, Louis was offering to shake your hand,” Gemma said gently. “It’s a special human custom you take part in when you meet someone new.”

Simon’s eyes grew wide, and his cheeks turned red. He buried his head into Harry’s sweatshirt-clad arm.

“Here, let me show you, Si,” Harry said, holding his hand out to Louis. “Hi Louis, I’m Harry.”

Louis smirked. “Hi, Harry.” He grasped Harry’s hand in his own. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Harry winked at him. Simon and Gemma giggled as Louis shook Simon’s hand, the little merboy’s cheeks becoming a bit less red.

“There you go, Si, now you get tell all the other minnows that you met a human,” Gemma said fondly. “He’s been asking me and Harry for weeks if he could meet you.” She said to Louis.

“You can only say no for so long,” Louis said, smiling down at Simon who had somehow shimmied out of Harry’s lap and into Louis’s. “You’ve got the same dimples as your uncle, Si.”

“I know!” Si said, poking Louis’s stomach. “Mum says I have the same… what was the word, mum?”

“Curiosity,” Gemma said wryly, sending a pretend stern look to Harry.

“Yeah!” Simon said, wriggling his tail in excitement.

Harry just shrugged unashamedly. “My curiosity paid off. I met Louis.” He slid an arm behind Louis, leaning in close to Si so he could whisper loudly. “And Louis is the coolest human I know.”

There were more chuckles and Louis leaned back into Harry’s shoulder. Simon was chattering about something he and the other merkids did a few days back and Gemma was swimming around a few feet away, looking at ease. She occasionally glanced over to where Louis and Harry sat, Simon in Louis’s lap, happily jabbering away. Louis didn’t notice Gemma’s soft smile towards them; he was too busy resting his head against Harry’s and leaning into the merman’s chest and giggling at something Simon had said.

Eventually, it was time for Gemma and Simon to return home and Simon wiggled his way off Louis’s lap, waving goodbye and promising that he’d show Louis how to play Sharks and Minnows _properly_ next time he saw him. Louis and Harry watched them swim away in silence, still sitting close.

Harry’s tail flicked the water and his fins curled in between Louis’s toes, making him giggle. He poked Harry in the tail and nuzzled his head into Harry’s chin.

“Harry,” Louis said quietly, tracing circles on Harry’s tail. “Will you take me home with you sometime? Please?” He didn’t mean to sound like he was begging but he couldn’t help it. Now, seeing Gemma’s son, he wanted to go back more than anything. He wanted to see Harry in his natural habitat again.

He felt Harry swallow. “Lou, I… I want you to. I really do.” He sighed. “It’s just… complicated.”

“There’s no like...deadline,” Louis said, ignoring the nerves in his stomach. The way Harry said he wanted to bring Louis with him made Louis want to burst into a big teary grin. “I just… want to see you at home again.”

Harry was silent for a few moments. “Okay. Soon.”

Louis smiled and nuzzled Harry’s chin again. Louis could feel Harry’s breath in his hair and as the stars slowly came out in the night sky, Louis felt himself relaxing into Harry, leaning into the strong sweatshirt covered torso. Just for a moment, he closed his eyes and felt bliss wrap him up in its cocoon.

When Louis woke up, the first thing he felt was how cold he was. The second thing he felt was how close to Harry he was. It was this second thought that fully woke him up, his eyes flying open.

He and Harry were laying back on their rock, Harry’s tail still flicking in the water and his breath coming in deep sighs. Louis was curled up into Harry’s side, one leg thrown over Harry’s tail, his head on Harry’s shoulder, and his hand resting on Harry’s stomach, inside the sweatshirt he still wore. Harry had one arm wrapped around Louis, holding him close, the other hand rested on his stomach over Louis’s hand.

Louis blinked and took in a deep breath. For all their years of being cuddly and touchy, they’d never fallen asleep together before. Harry could only be out of the water for a few hours as far as Louis knew. Louis had no idea how long they’d been on the rock, but his heart quickened when a thought occurred to him.

Harry hadn’t woken him up. Harry had laid them down, held Louis in his arms, and fallen asleep too. He’d stayed.

Louis squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm the rapid pace of his heart. He took in a deep breath and all he could smell was Harry. All around him, Harry. He looked at Harry’s face, so peaceful in sleep. He gently slid his hand out from under the sweatshirt and reached down to run a hand over Harry’s tail. It didn’t feel dry… not that Louis had ever felt Harry’s tail dry out. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to know the feeling of.

Harry’s arms around him, Harry’s stomach under his hand… those were definitely things he _did_ want to know the feeling of.

Harry stirred and licked his lips. Louis didn’t move, his hand still resting on Harry’s tail, watching his eyes slowly blink open. Even in the starlight, Harry’s eyes found Louis’s. “Lou?”

“Hey, Curly,” Louis whispered, a soft smile finding its way to his face. “I think we fell asleep.”

Harry chuckled and Louis felt it rumble through his body. “You did. I didn’t want to wake you. You alright?”

Louis nodded. “Are you? I don’t know how long we’ve been out here.”

Harry looked up at the sky, his brow furrowed, clicking his tongue as he thought. “About five hours. The stars have moved.”

Louis glanced up at the sky, but his gaze fell back to Harry’s eyes. “Should I go? Do you need to get home?”

Harry’s arm tightened around Louis and Louis felt himself melt against Harry’s chest. “Nope. I’m pretty comfortable here actually.”

Louis rolled his eyes. “I distinctly remember you saying only a few weeks ago that we shouldn’t sleep on rocks.”

Harry just grinned. “I didn’t have one of your sweatshirts to wear then. Besides, don’t humans have fancy, thick blanket things to make sleeping outdoors softer?”

“Like an air mattress?” Louis cocked his head. “I don’t have one but maybe one of these days I can get one out here and we can actually sleep on this rock without waking up with sore backs.”

“That sounds lovely.” Harry rolled partially onto his side, his arm still around Louis, holding him close and mumbling sleepily. “Next time. Stay here.”

“You won’t dry out, will you?” Louis asked, chewing on his bottom lip. He wanted Harry to be safe. He also wasn’t keen on leaving Harry’s arms.

Harry chuckled. “No. My fins are in the water, I’ll be fine.” He closed his eyes and Louis just looked at him for a moment until Harry opened one eye. “Lou, sleep.”

Louis grinned and settled in, his head resting again on Harry’s shoulder, his lower arm squished in between them and his upper arm resting on Harry’s waist. He didn’t take his eyes off Harry’s face as he situated himself.

“I can tell you’re looking at me,” Harry said, not opening his eyes, but smiling just the same.

Louis’s jaw dropped. “How?”

Harry grinned, his dimples popping out. “Merman magic.”

Louis just poked him in the dimples before closing his eyes and falling asleep once more.   
  


The next morning, Louis awoke to a soft voice and gentle hands laying his head on the rock. He made sleepy grabby hands at Harry, feeling cold, but was covered by what he assumed to be his own sweatshirt.

“I’ll be right back, Lou,” Harry said. He squeezed Louis’s hands and Louis heard a soft splash. He opened his eyes and saw Harry swimming around the cove. He laid back down, curling up into a ball under the sweatshirt that now smelled like him and Harry both. Harry swam for a few minutes then hoisted himself back onto the rock and wrapped himself around Louis.

Louis curled up further, his face buried in Harry’s bare chest and Harry’s tail wrapping around his legs. “Are you feeling alright?” Louis mumbled, listening to Harry’s heartbeat.  

“Totally alright,” Harry replied, his arms wrapping around Louis. He was warm and smelled and looked like himself.

“You sure? You didn’t dry out?” Louis rubbed his eyes with one hand, looking Harry up and down.

Harry chuckled lightly. “I just needed a short swim. I’m alright.” He was chewing on his bottom lip and Louis was certain he felt Harry’s heart speed up.

“You didn’t push it, did you?” Louis asked, and pushed up onto his elbow. “You could have woken me up. We didn’t need to stay…”

“Boy blue,” Harry said with gentle finality, running a hand down Louis’s arm and looking at him with a fierce fondness. “I did what I needed. Don’t worry. I’ll always tell you.”

Louis gazed at Harry for a minute, searching for any sign of Harry being a hero or self-sacrificing. Instead, he just saw Harry’s tenderness seeping out of his smile. “Alright,” Louis agreed grudgingly.

“Thank you for caring so much,” Harry said, his tail flicking against Louis’s lower back.

Louis shrugged. “I can’t have you dying on me.” Harry smiled softly and kissed Louis’s forehead. The butterflies in his stomach started a jig.

“Merpeople aren’t fragile, Lou,” Harry said with a smirk. “I’m like a seal… I’m amphibious.”

“You’re what now?” Louis said, grinning at the dimple that showed up on Harry’s cheek. It could be said that Louis was obsessed with Harry’s dimples.

“Amphibious. I can survive on land and in the water. I can do both. I’m like your average harbor seal. Except I have scales. And I’m not annoying.”

“Hey, who said anything about not being annoying?” Louis teased.

“I’m not the one who spent the night outside, in October, in the cold, with his merman.” Harry turned pink and Louis’s heart sped up. _His merman?_ Louis thought. _Yes, please, yes please, yes please._ Harry swallowed and cleared his throat.

Louis smiled at him. “Yeah well… You’re warm, so…”

Harry raised his eyebrows. “I’m warm? Is that all you’ve got?”

“And I like your scales.”

Harry burst out laughing. “I’m warm and you like my scales. What a deep, long, enduring friendship we have, Lou.”

Louis chuckled with him. “Alright, fine. Since you’re _amphibious_ , would you like to come to my place for dinner tonight?” He’d been thinking of inviting Harry to dinner for weeks (ever since Niall had left if he was honest), and now seemed like the perfect time.

Harry pretended to consider it, tapping his lips with his fingers, his fins flicking behind Louis. “Will you make your mum’s bruschetta?” He grinned.

Louis grinned. “Definitely.”

“Then yes, I’d like that.” The two grinned at each other, Harry’s tail flicking happily, Louis’s fingers tracing circles on Harry’s tail. “Although… I promised Gemma I would watch Simon today. She’s meeting with a group of humpbacks passing through the area.”

Louis sighed. “I need to write today, too. The London Times wants a second article by Friday.”

“Keep your windows open and I’ll whistle when I can come up?” Harry asked.

“Deal,” Louis said, his mind whirring with plans for dinner. “I can’t wait.”

“Me neither,” Harry said. He looked out at the horizon, the sun almost all the way past the edge of the sea. “I should get going.” He sat up and uncurled his tail from around Louis. Louis whimpered. Harry chuckled. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Louis nodded reluctantly, and watched Harry dive into the water, a smile on his face and his heart warm. He ran a hand through his hair. If Harry was human, dinner would be a bit like a date. And considering Harry had kissed Louis on the head and called himself _Louis’s merman_ … there had to be something there. Like Niall said… something inevitable.

Louis scoffed to himself. “Fuck it.” He said to himself. “I’m saying it’s a date.” _I hope._

Louis was just lighting the candles on the table when he heard Harry’s whistle. He surveyed the table: candles, flowers, a large jug of water, the platter of bruschetta, the bowl of homemade mash, and his best dish of chicken wrapped in parma ham, all laid out on the table, ready for dinner. There was a bin of water underneath Harry’s chair so he could rest his tail and Fleetwood Mac on the record player. The fire was blazing in the fireplace and Louis smiled. This would be good.

Harry’s second whistle had Louis springing into action, leaping out the back door and down the stairs to the cove. Harry was sitting on their rock, his arms wrapped around his fins as if he had knees. When he looked up at Louis and grinned, Louis was certain that several things in his heart slotted into place, clicking and fitting like puzzle pieces.

Harry looked up at him. “Hey, boy blue.” He said softly, the grin on his face shining as bright as the setting sun.

Louis smiled back as he knelt down next to him. “Hey, Curly. Ready for dinner?”

Wordlessly, Harry held his arms out. Louis picked him up, one arm under his shoulders, the other under his tail and began to walk back to his cottage. Harry had one arm slung around Louis’s neck, his head resting against Louis’s temple.

“Remember when we were kids? How often I’d do this?” Louis asked, his heartbeat thrumming in his chest from holding Harry so close. He wanted to pause the moment, holding Harry so close he could feel the merman’s breath on his cheek.

Harry chuckled. “Yes. Your mum was always worried you’d drop me.” His other hand rested on Louis’s shoulder, and feeling his gentle fingers at the base of his neck sent thrills up Louis’s spine.

“Until I started lifting weights more.” Louis grinned, his eyes crinkling at the memory. He had almost dropped Harry once when he was fifteen and it had scared him so much he’d spent the whole next school year lifting weights to get stronger. The next summer carrying Harry around had been cake.

“Did you do that just so you could carry me places?” Harry teased. When he was a teenager Louis had had a habit of carrying Harry around wherever he could. Up to the cottage for movies, across the beach when he didn’t want to swim, sometimes just for fun.

Louis shrugged, his face tinting red, as he pushed open the back door of the cottage. Harry’s jaw dropped.

“Aw, Lou.” His dimples finally made their appearance and Louis felt his heart swell. “It’s like something from a movie.”

“That’s what I was aiming for,” Louis said, carrying Harry over to his seat and setting him down gently before sitting down himself.

Harry glanced over at him, looking him up and down. “Well, now I just feel underdressed.” He joked, looking down at his bare chest and back up at Louis in his red sweater.

“Oh!” Louis jumped up and dashed to the couch where he held up two sweaters. “I figured I’d let you choose this time.”

Harry grinned. “The pink one. Obviously.”

Louis grinned back. “I thought you’d pick this one.” He handed it over to Harry and sat back down. He passed the platter of bruschetta to Harry with a smirk. “You have to share, you know.”

Harry smirked back and took the platter. “Like you didn’t eat a third of what you made while you were cooking.”

Louis laughed out loud. “Alright fine, maybe I did. But still, sharing is caring, Curly.” He propped his head in his hands and watched Harry pick out a few pieces of bread for his plate. “Who knew merpeople liked tomatoes so much.”

“This merman does, anyway.” Harry said, passing the platter back. “Gemma didn’t like them when she tried them but she has a big thing for mangoes.”

“Well if it wasn’t for you, I never would have tried sushi and that has added uncountable joys to my life.”

“Didn’t Liam hate it?” Harry said as he munched on bruschetta and scooped up some mashed potatoes.

“He didn’t like the seaweed. Did I tell you Zayn made him a seaweed salad for a joke? Liam was so gone for Zayn that all Liam did was say thanks and throw it out.” Louis rolled his eyes and stuffed a bit of mashed potatoes in his mouth. “If I’d made him a seaweed salad I’d have gotten a cold shoulder for a week.”

“It depends on what seaweed you get though!” Harry said indignantly. “Liam just hasn’t tried the right kind yet.”

“You would say that, Curly,” Louis said fondly. “You’d probably be like a baker or a chef or something if you were human.”

“You’d be the one writing songs about our history if you were a merman,” Harry said. “How’d writing go today, by the way?”

Louis chewed thoughtfully. “It went well, I think. I’m working on a piece about Niall’s research group. He leaves the week after New Year’s to go to Madagascar and the Times asked me to interview him every few weeks for a column.”

“A column?” Harry asked, his brow furrowing.

“Yeah, like a series of articles written by the same person, published over a period of time. They’re not long and the Times wanted me a write like an introductory piece. They like my writing, so I guess that’s a good sign.”

“That’s really cool, Lou,” Harry said with a grin. “I know it’s important to you.”

Louis grinned. Even though mermaids didn’t have things like newspapers or books, Harry had quickly learned that getting published was Louis’s dream. He’d been Louis’s biggest cheerleader - so supportive that he had actually asked Louis teach him to read just so he could read what Louis’s wrote.

“How did Gemma’s meeting with the humpbacks go today?” Louis asked, setting his empty plate aside. “Did Si give you much trouble?”

Harry giggled. “No, he’s a good kid. We swam around with some deep water stingrays and he asked me all about you and how humans live. He’s very curious. He wants answers to every question and hates not knowing something.”

“Like you.” Louis poked Harry’s wrist.

Harry hummed. “Like me. Gemma told me today that next time the humpbacks come through she’s sending me instead. I speak better humpback apparently.”

At this, Louis burst into giggles. “You sound like Dory… Get it? Cause you speak whale!”

Harry rolled his eyes. “Louis Tomlinson, you’ve known your entire life that I speak whale. All dialects too, I’ll have you know!” Harry was grinning and reached over to poke Louis in the side, his tail flicking in the tub of water under his chair. “Besides, Dory didn’t do it right…” He mumbled under his breath, pretending to pout.

Louis grabbed Harry’s hand and gripped it tight, still giggling. “Why don’t I clean up dinner and switch the record and I’ll make cocoa?” He grinned at the way Harry’s face lit up at the mention of cocoa. Harry gripped Louis’s hand right back, and they sat for a moment, grinning like idiots at each other.

With a final squeeze, Louis stood up, making to pull his hand away from Harry’s so he could tidy the table. Instead, Harry gave his hand a soft tug and, because it was Harry and Louis would follow Harry forever, Louis ended up in Harry’s lap.

He sat for a moment, stunned both at how he arrived in his current position and the satisfied look on Harry’s face. Harry was smirking at him and he slid his arms around Louis. “Gotcha.”

Louis smirked back. “You know if you hold onto me you won’t get cocoa.” He slid his arms around Harry’s neck. “And I can’t flip the record.”

Harry just shrugged, a slight smile on his face. “I kinda like where you are.”

Louis did a double take. Was Harry _flirting_ with him? Louis’s heart sped up, and he noticed that Harry’s cheeks were pink. _Pink_ . Louis felt his whole body flush. _Harry was flirting with him_. Harry was flirting with him.

Louis poked Harry in the side, getting a giggle out of Harry that made the butterflies in Louis’s stomach dance to his fingertips, making them tingle with anticipation. “I do like your scales…”

Harry’s arms tightened around him and Louis felt himself falling, his heart making a swooshing loop-de-loop and landing right in Harry’s hands. Even if he didn’t know it yet, Louis was fairly certain Harry wouldn’t mind.

“You’re always going on about my scales!” Harry said, his bottom lip protruding in a pretend pout that had Louis wanting nothing more than to lean in and kiss him. “You only like me for my novelty!” Harry was teasing, Louis knew, but the statement sparked something urgent in him and before he knew it he was overflowing with honesty.

“I only like you for your heart.” He said, and the moment went from silly and teasing to deep and heartfelt in the blink of an eye. Harry’s pout receded and Louis felt his smile go from smirking to tender. “I only like you because you make me laugh.” Harry’s breathing had grown shallow and Louis plunged on, deep diving into waters they’d never swam before, his heart open and raw with care for this merman he’d fallen in love with when he wasn’t looking.

“Because you’ve always been there for me, even when I couldn’t stand the idea of going back to school and dealing with the bullies. I’ve only ever liked you for the way you find the beauty in everything. You found the beauty in me whenever I felt that I wasn’t worthwhile.” Louis chuckled to himself, letting his eyes take in the intensity in the green eyes gazing at him. “You let me take care of you, even though you don’t need it. I’ve never known someone as strong as you.”

Harry ran one of his hands up Louis’s arm, his fingers resting achingly light on Louis’s collarbone. “You make me want to be brave, Lou.” His hand trailed up to Louis’s chin, tracing his jawline. He leaned in close and Louis could feel Harry’s breath on his face. “You make me want everything.” And Harry closed the distance between them, cupping the back of Louis’s neck, pressing their lips together and sending any hesitations, any concerns, any doubts Louis ever had into oblivion.

Louis slid his hands up Harry’s chest, clutching the front of the sweater Harry was wearing, letting himself marvel at the feel of Harry’s lips on his. This wasn’t a simple peck to get him underwater. This was a _real_ kiss. It made his toes curl, the butterflies dancing from his fingertips to his hips as he melted into Harry.

Harry’s lips were gentle on his, warm and tender, like he’d been waiting years to kiss Louis and been thinking about _how_ that entire time. Harry licked Louis’s lower lip and Louis opened his mouth, sliding their tongues together, letting out a whimper. Harry pulled back a little, resting his forehead on Louis’s, both of them flushed.

“You okay?” Harry asked, tapping Louis’s nose with his own.

Louis nodded. “Yeah, I’m…” He let out a chuckle that sounded more like a sigh, and glanced up into Harry’s eyes. “I’m great.”

“You….” Harry was frowning. “You made a noise.”

Louis grinned. “Yeah. Just like in the movies.” He traced his nose up and down Harry’s. “It’s a good thing.”

Harry hummed. “I like that.” His hands slipped under Louis’s sweater and began tracing circles on Louis’s waist. “You sounded pretty.”

Louis giggled, feeling lighter than he ever had in his life. The look in Harry’s eyes made him bold. “Kiss me again and you’ll probably get more noises out of me.”

Harry let out something that sounded like a growl and his lips were on Louis’s again. Louis could feel Harry’s smile under his lips, tangled his hands in Harry’s hair, and smiled back, their kiss flicking the light on the shadows of his soul.

Harry kissed Louis determinedly, nibbling his lips, sucking his tongue, pulling noises deep out of Louis that he didn’t even know he could make. When Harry pulled away, Louis was a whimpering, flushed, shaking puddle in Harry’s arms. He rested his forehead against Harry’s shoulder.

“Where’d you learn to kiss like that?” Louis asked, catching his breath. Harry’s hands ran circles along his back, warm fingertips tracing shapes on his skin. The idea of Harry kissing anyone aside from him made his stomach cringe.

Harry just shrugged. “I just had a lot of time to think about it, I guess.”

Louis smirked. “You’ve thought about kissing me?”

Harry just leaned in and kissed him again, firmly, thoroughly, leaving Louis breathless. “Well it paid off, didn’t it?”

Louis took in Harry’s face, cheeks pink and dimples showing, looking at him with a mixture of pride and fondness. Louis took Harry’s cheeks in his hands and smiled. “I like you. A lot.” He kissed Harry delicately, like he had all the time in the world.

Harry nuzzled into Louis’s face. “I like you, boy blue. I have for a while.”

Louis grinned, kissing along Harry’s nose and cheeks, bubbling over with giddy excitement, making Harry laugh. Louis stood up (Harry whined and made grabby hands at him) and threw a leg over Harry’s lap so he could straddle Harry, who purred happily. “Do you still want that cocoa?” Louis asked, a shiver running up and down his spine as Harry traced his hands around Louis’s waist.

“Maybe in a little while.” He smirked. “I still like you where you are.”

So Louis stayed. He kissed Harry greedily, his hands exploring the places of Harry that had been untouched by him their whole lives. Harry kissed back just as passionately, like every minute he hadn’t spent kissing Louis needed to be compensated for. Eventually, their kisses turned lazy, Louis making his way along Harry’s neck as Harry nuzzled into his hair.

“Hey Lou,” Harry said, his voice muffled from where he was nuzzling into Louis’s hair. “Didn’t you promise me hot cocoa?”

Louis hummed into Harry’s neck and pulled back. “I did.” He quirked an eyebrow. “How about I move you to the couch and you pick a new record while I make hot cocoa?”

“Deal.”

Louis stood, sighing at having to leave Harry’s arms, but wrapped his own arms around Harry, picking him up and carrying him to the couch. Harry kissed along Louis’s collarbone and, once Louis had settled him on the couch, held Louis close just for a moment. They didn’t kiss, just touched their noses together, blue eyes meeting green, suspending them both in the moment as easily as if they were underwater.

Louis smiled, kissed Harry lightly and walked across the living room to the kitchen. “Whipped cream?” He asked, already knowing the answer.

Harry’s amused huff made Louis giggle. “Lou, when have I ever said no to whipped cream.”

Louis pulled out a pot and set it on the stove, pouring milk into it before turning it on. “Once. You had just spent most of the morning seeing how fast you could swim in and out of the cove and felt dizzy.”

Harry had three different records spread out on his lap. “When was this?” He tapped his fingers to his chin thoughtfully and Louis was paused in his cocoa preparations, watching the way Harry’s brow furrowed in thought.

“You were… I think sixteen? It was the summer before I went to uni.” He chopped up a few chocolate bars just like his mum had taught him. He couldn’t cook much, but he could make a mean hot cocoa. “I remember it because I was trying to draw you and I was so intent on getting your tail right that I didn’t notice when you ran into Marty.”

Marty had always shown up when Harry and Louis would play around in the cove, especially after they saved his life. He’d change colors for them and squeeze into tiny places and gave Louis his first ever octopus hug. Louis had decided there were too many arms involved and left the hugging to Harry, but Marty was the only octopus Louis could claim to know and for that he was special.

“Oh!” Harry said, looking up from the records. “I remember now, he got his arm stuck in between some rocks and by the time you’d swum over we were already sorting ourselves out. You looked so worried.”

“And you just laughed,” Louis said, stirring the cocoa. “Like I hadn’t almost lost my best friend.”

“You hadn’t! You were being dramatic as usual.” Harry smiled to himself and picked an album, placing the other two on the coffee table. He slid himself down the couch to the side table where the record player was and a second later, Hotel California was playing through the cottage.

“Yeah well, it’s why you…” Louis paused, catching himself. “It’s why you keep me around. That, and I give you human food.”

“Well now I know you’re a good kisser, so there’s another item on the pro side of my reasons-I-keep-Louis-around list.” Harry teased and Louis pulled mugs out of the cupboard with a smile.

“I hope it’s longer than the con side.” Louis poured cocoa into each mug and sprayed on whipped cream. He carried them over to the couch, handing one mug to Harry before sitting down and gently putting his legs in Harry’s lap. Harry placed an arm around Louis’s shoulders, pulling him closer to his side. Louis went willingly.

“Definitely longer,” Harry said, taking a sip of his cocoa and humming happily. His fins flicked and Louis grinned. Harry’s fins were a bit like a mood ring: Louis could usually tell Harry’s emotions by how his fins were moving. It was reliable, and Louis kissed Harry’s shoulder, thrilled that he could kiss Harry at all, could kiss Harry all over if he wanted.

He wanted. But he also had cocoa in his hands. So he settled for kisses on Harry’s arm and shoulder in between sips of cocoa as the Eagles crooned in the background and they talked and kissed and talked, as if this was how they’d always been, together, in sync, fond and tender, unable to take their hands away from each other for more than a moment. It was late into the morning, after Louis yawned so widely that Harry kissed him fondly on the temple and said it was bedtime, that Louis realized that he and Harry _had_ always been like this. Now they just could name it.

Louis carried Harry down to the cove, sleepy and content and warm in a way he’d only ever been with Harry but also bigger and better. Just before he swam off to bed, Louis kissed him once more, and whispered plans to see each other the next day.

“I didn’t dream tonight, right?” Harry asked, trailing his finger down Louis’s cheek. “I’ve dreamed of kissing you for years but tonight was real, right?”

Louis kissed Harry’s palm. “Definitely real. I always have a tail in my dreams.”

Harry smiled a little sadly before kissing Louis one last time and swimming home. Louis meandered back to the cottage, falling into bed with a content grin on his face. He dreamt of Harry that night, his tail nowhere in sight.   


Christmas Eve dawned a few weeks later, stormy and gray. The ocean just outside the cottage splashed into the cove and when Louis ran down through the rain he saw Harry looking completely soaked through.

“I am very wet.” He said as Louis picked him up and walked back to the cottage. “I always forget I can’t dry off completely in rain.”

Louis chuckled and pushed opened the back door into the cottage. The fire was burning, heating the main floor. He’d decorated a small tree in the corner and had put an old Bing Crosby album on the record player. There was apple cider on the stovetop, making the whole cottage smell like Christmas. Louis shut the door behind him, already feeling Harry begin to dry in his arms.

It had become their usual routine, one they stuck to regardless of how their days had gone. Whenever Louis was done writing and Harry was done with his duties under the sea, they’d meet in the cove. Louis would carry Harry up to the cottage where a warm fire and dinner awaited them. They talked and kissed and cuddled and Louis was certain he’d never been quite this happy. There was an ease to them as if they’d skipped the phase of newness and just dove into feeling completely at ease around each other.

He wished his mother could see them now. He knew she’d be thrilled. She’d always said Harry was more important than Louis realized. Now he knew and he wasn’t going to let Harry go. Ever, if he could help it.

“I’ll never not be amazed that you can do that. Dry off that quickly, I mean,” Louis said as he set Harry down on the couch. Boisterous noises could be heard in the upstairs guestroom, Liam shouting something about Zayn ruining surprises and Zayn giggling back. Niall was refereeing from the sounds of it and there was laughter and teasing just as bright as the twinkle lights Niall and Louis had placed all around the room that morning. Harry had pulled on a sweater of Louis’s that had been draped over the couch just for him. Louis sat down next to Harry, snuggling into his side.

“It’s a perk of being amphibious.” Harry said, wiggling his eyebrows at Louis. “I am glad that you convinced me to let you have the presents early. As long as you didn’t open yours!”  

“I didn’t! I just… I might have shaken them a bit...” Louis said, glancing over at the tree with a smile. There were presents from all five of them under the tree now, and it made Louis’s heart warm at the sight of them. He’d helped Harry make his gifts for the other boys but had no idea what Harry had done for him. He was eager to find out. “You didn’t really have to get everyone gifts, you know.” He’d told Harry this a million times, but once Harry knew it was a tradition there was no persuading him otherwise.

“So?” Harry said. “I wanted to. You said that’s what people do at Christmas. Plus I knew exactly what to get Niall _and_ it’s not every day you get a gift from a merman, is it?” He teased.

Louis stuck out his tongue. “Maybe I’m seeing another merman on the side.”

Harry just rolled his eyes. “I’d know. Merpeople are horrible gossips.” He kissed Louis’s temple and Louis hummed happily, pressing his thumb into Harry’s hip.

“You’re the only man I want, anyways. Only person I want.” Louis frowned, trying to find the right words and ignoring Harry’s giggle. “Only merman I want.” He bit his tongue and rolled his eyes at himself.  

“Don’t worry. I get it.” Harry said fondly, and Louis leaned into him, kissing Harry firmly on the mouth. “You’re the only one I want, too.” Louis kissed back, unable to help his grin from spreading. If Harry had been anyone else, Louis might have worried about how fast they were moving. As it was, he was already hoping for a future with Harry. It didn’t feel fast at all. It felt like they were moving at their perfect speed.

“Oi!” Niall’s voice broke Harry and Louis apart. “No kissing unless it’s under the mistletoe!” Niall smirked at the two of them and walked into the kitchen to check on the turkey. “Hi, Harry. Missed ya!”

When Louis had told Niall, Liam, and Zayn that he and Harry had gotten together, he wasn’t faced with surprise or disgust as he’d thought. Instead, Niall hugged him, muttering something like “About damn time.” Liam had just grinned and hugged him and Zayn told him congratulations. They’d been bothering Louis ever since to let them come spent his birthday with him and Harry. He’d gladly told them yes.

“Hi, Niall.” Harry said as Louis kissed his cheek and neck, ignoring Niall’s rule entirely. “What’s mistletoe?”

“Hi, Harry.” Liam said coming down the stairs, followed closely by Zayn. “Mistletoe is a green plant that people hang in doorways at Christmas time.”

“So you can kiss people,” Zayn said, leaning over to hug Harry. “I’m surprised Louis hadn’t mentioned it. All he’s told us is how great of a kisser you are.”

“Hey!” Louis cried, glaring at Zayn’s back as he walked into the kitchen to help Niall. Harry just laughed out loud.

“So I guess kissing me goes on the pro side of the reasons-you-keep-Harry-around list?” Harry said, poking Louis in the side and nibbling on his ear.

“Maybe!” Louis said indignantly. “And don’t talk in third person. It weirds me out.” He couldn’t help but smile when he looked at Harry though. His dimples were showing.

Liam sat down on the chair by Harry’s side of the couch. “Don’t worry Harry, Louis told us more than that. Like merfolk don’t celebrate Christmas?” Liam asked this incredulously, his eyes wide.

Harry chuckled. “Nope. We don’t really have holidays. But Louis told me it’s both his birthday and his favorite time of year so…” He shrugged.

“Basically I made him come.” Louis said as Niall and Zayn joined them, Niall sitting on the other side of Louis and Zayn sitting in Liam’s lap.

“You what now?” Zayn asked, ever the picture of calm. Liam, Harry, and Louis laughed.

“I invited Harry to Christmas,” Louis said.

“More like told me I had to come, no matter what.” Harry said with an amused huff, making the other four chuckle.

“Hey, it’s my birthday,” Louis said. “You should be nice to me.”

Harry just smirked at him. “I’m always nice to you.” Louis leaned him and kissed him. “Happy birthday by the way.”

“Should we open presents?” Liam said, attempting to reach the packages under the tree while keeping Zayn on his lap. Zayn just chuckled and stood up, distributing the gifts to everyone else until each of them had a pile in their laps. Or in Harry and Louis’s case, a pile in Louis’s lap, given that Harry’s was currently preoccupied..

It was as Zayn was passing out the last of the gifts and Liam and Niall were chatting animatedly about something that Louis noticed Harry’s hands. They were trembling, just a little. Louis took them in his own.

“Are you alright, Curly?” He asked softly, looking into Harry’s eyes.

Harry nodded. “Just hope they like everything. I’ve never done this before.”

Louis kissed Harry’s cheek and whispered in his ear. “I know you did great.”

“You haven’t even opened yours yet,” Harry whispered back.

“Yeah, but I know you. That’s all the information I need.” Louis smiled until Harry did too and poked one of his dimples. “Plus, I helped.” This got a laugh out of Harry. Louis felt proud.

There was a bit of discussion as to how the five of them wanted to go about opening gifts but they finally decided that they’d each open one gift at a time.

They went around the room. Niall had brought everyone back gifts from his trip to India: intricate brocade cloth for Zayn, a hand-formed pot for coffee for Liam, a gold bracelet featuring a mermaid for Louis and a collection of spices for Harry to use when he helped Louis cook. Liam had brought each of them a collection of poems he’d written about them, and Louis gave each of them a long essay about his friendships with them. There was silence all around the room as they each read their essays and more than a few tears. Harry leaned over and kissed Louis soundly on the lips after he finished reading his essay.

It didn’t tell Harry he loved him, but Louis had plans for that.  

But the best gift givers by far were Harry and Zayn. Zayn had given each of them a painting he’d done, something that they loved and oohed and ahhed over. Niall received a painting of him working with a whale he’d rehabilitated in the Indian Ocean. Liam got one of him and Zayn on their first date. Louis and Harry each got the same one and it took Louis’s breath away.

It was a painting of the two of them sitting in their cove, a rich purple sunset in the background. They were sitting on their rock, feet and fins tangling in the water, engrossed in conversation, looking for all the world like they were completely in love. Louis loved it.

“Harry, I put yours in a waterproof casing. It should last underwater for years.” Zayn said, biting his lower lip. Harry and Louis wore matching grins of gratitude.

Harry’s gifts were all from the sea. Niall received mementos from the merkids: rocks, shells, pieces of coral, a live hermit crab in a small shell box (with care instructions from Simon that Louis had written for him), and a message from each kid that Harry had relayed to Louis to type up. Zayn and Liam received a large wall hanging made from pieces of mother-of-pearl in the shape of a mandala. Zayn was completely overwhelmed and sat staring at it in awe for several minutes.

“You can only open this one.” Harry said, pointing to the package in Louis’s left hand. “The other one you can open later.”

Louis raised his eyebrows but set the package in his right hand aside. He opened the other package carefully and his eyebrows flew to his hairline when he noticed familiar handwriting.

“Harry…” Louis pulled out a bundle of letters, each bearing his mother’s handwriting. “Harry, what are these?” He’d tried all day not to think about his mother too much. He knew he’d start crying if he did and he didn’t want to make the other boys sad. He couldn’t help feeling her absence but seeing his mother’s handwriting was like having her there.

“They’re letters your mother wrote to mine. My mum selected the ones she thought you’d most want to read.” There was a gasp from Zayn, Liam’s jaw dropped just like Louis’s, and Niall whispered, “No way.”

Louis opened and closed his mouth, feeling tears at his eyes. “Our mums wrote letters? How?”

“Marty convinced one of the seagulls to check the mail every day. You mum would just address letters to the cottage and he would bring them to my mum. She kept them hidden in one of the dry outcroppings a few miles down the beach.” Harry said, his hand rubbing Louis’s back.

Louis was stunned into silence. He vaguely heard the oven timer go off and Niall darting to the kitchen to take the turkey out of the oven. Zayn and Liam followed, leaving Harry and Louis on the couch.

“Boy blue, are you alright?” Harry asked, his voice full of concern.

Louis looked up at Harry, his eyes filled with tears, a soft smile on his face. “I’m… _Harry_. This is… I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” He kissed Harry, a salty, wet kiss. “I can’t wait to read them.”

“I figured you could once the boys head home.” 

Louis nodded and took in a deep breath. “I’ve been afraid to think about her all day. But this is… this is perfect, Harry.”

Harry grinned. Liam came in a few moments later, calling them to dinner. Louis picked Harry up, holding him close just for a moment before walking over to the table and settling themselves in.

The table was laden with all the typical Christmas foods, plus plenty of water and mulled wine. The five sat around the table laughing and eating to their heart’s content. The time passed quickly and before Louis knew it, Niall was bringing out a cake with candles and the four of them were singing happy birthday. He held on to Harry’s hand tightly, and wished for courage.

After the dishes were washed and the leftovers put away and the couch pulled out into its sleeper bed for Niall, the five started to head to bed. Liam and Zayn climbed the stairs to the guest room, sleepily waving goodnight. Louis and Harry took a quick trip to the cove so Harry could stretch his tail and swim a bit. Louis sat on their rock listening to the water and the rain until Harry came back out of the water, nuzzling his wet face into Louis’s neck.

The two giggled all the way back to the cottage, Louis careful not to slip and drop Harry. Niall shut and locked the door behind them, and handed Harry the package Louis had set aside earlier, bidding them goodnight as they went upstairs.

Louis shut his bedroom door behind him and gently placed Harry under the covers, tucking them around his tail so his fins could peek out at the bottom of the bed. Louis tugged off his shirt and jeans and climbed into bed next to Harry, resting his legs in Harry’s lap. They hadn’t slept side by side in his bed before. He thought fleetingly that maybe he should feel worried or nervous. Instead, when he looked over at Harry next to him, he just felt content.

Harry smiled at him and held out the package. “You should open this now.”

Louis took it carefully, and unwrapped it. Inside was a small shell, long and narrow and shiny. It was blue with a mother-of-pearl sheen weaving around it. Louis looked up at Harry, confused.

Harry swallowed. “It’s a key.” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “It’s a key to my house, in the sea. I wanted you to have it.”

Louis was, for the second time in twelve hours, stunned. “A key? You’re giving me a key to your home?”

Harry nodded. “I… You can visit now. I was thinking I could take you down in a few days.”

Louis smiled, cradling the key in his hands. He’d only seen the outside of Harry’s home, when he’d gone with Harry for Gemma’s wedding. Now he’d get to see the inside of it. Harry was sharing those sweetest parts of his heart, laying them open for Louis to see and treasure. His own heart swelled and he realized so strongly the thing Niall had tried to tell him in the summer. It filled his whole being, poured out of his pores, and came bubbling forth in three simple words, aided by the courage he had wished for at dinner.

“I love you.” Louis said, and Harry raised his eyebrows, pleased shock on his face. It felt more natural than he’d dreamed to finally say the words. Louis continued on. “I like you and I love you. I’ve always loved you. I didn’t realize it till recently, that what I felt for you, what you are to me, how I want to be for you, is really simple. I love you.” He looked down at the key in his hand. “I don’t care that we’re different species. You’re the one I want at the end of the day.”

Harry smiled, his eyes wet with tears. “I love you too, boy blue. I’ve wanted to tell you for years. I’ve been yours from the start.” He grasped Louis’s hands in his own. Louis sniffled and leaned in to kiss Harry. It was a tender kiss, full of promise and futures and beginnings and choices made every day to love and be loved.  

“Out of curiosity, why didn’t you tell me earlier?” Louis asked, squeezing Harry’s hands. “I just mean, why now?”

Harry bit his lip, and shook his head fondly. “Because there’s a special magic to a merperson and a human loving each other. But humans can be…”

“Stubborn?” Louis volunteered. “Oblivious?”

“Arrogant.” Harry said kindly. “Not you, I’ve never known you to be arrogant. But when a human can find it in themselves to love a merperson, it means…” He looked at the key in Louis’s hand. “It means that whenever you need me, whenever you want me, all you have to do is think of me and swim. You’ll find me and you’ll be safe underwater. That’s why I gave you the key.”

Louis blinked hard and fast, tears dripping down his cheeks. “I can come see you whenever I want?”

Harry smiled softly and nodded.

“Does it work both ways? Can you grow legs or something?” Louis asked, although he had a hunch at the answer.

Harry shook his head. “No. Because I can already so easily come find you.” Louis sighed, taking a deep, shaky breath, still gripping the key in one hand and Harry’s hands in the other. “But this makes us seeing each other easier.”

Louis nodded, feeling his resolve harden and strengthen. “I know it won’t be easy, loving each other. But I’m going to choose you, Harry. Every day.” He kissed Harry again. “God, I love you.”

Harry kissed back, his arms wrapping around Louis and pulling him close. “I love you, Lou.” He kissed Louis’s nose. “I love you.” He trailed his nose along Louis’s cheek. “I love you.” He kissed just below Louis’s ear, then pulled back to look right in Louis’s eyes. “I love you, boy blue.”

“I love you too, Curly.” Louis said, threading his fingers through Harry’s hair and pulling him close.

Louis set the shell key in the little dish on his night table before laying down next to Harry. Harry shifted next to him. They held each other close and Louis drifted to sleep feeling like all was right in his world.

He had letters from his mother, letters he could reread and commit to memory and learn more about her through. Knowing Zayn, Liam, and Niall accepted his relationship with a merman settled a peace over him he hadn’t felt since he was a child. Knowing Harry loved him back was the best Christmas and birthday gift of all.  
  


Louis woke up warm. In his still-sleepy state he could make out strong arms around him, a scaled tail tucked into his legs, and the gentle breathing of Harry just behind him. He smiled to himself and scooched backwards, attempting to tuck himself even further into Harry’s embrace. Harry sighed happily and tightened his arms around Louis, nuzzling into the back of Louis’s neck.

“How’d you sleep, Curly?” Louis asked sleepily, clutching onto Harry’s arms holding him and nuzzling into the elbow just under his head.

Harry hummed and Louis felt his tail twitch against his calves. “Perfectly. You?”

Louis nodded. “Perfectly.” He pushed back towards Harry, rolling halfway underneath him, sliding his arms around Harry’s torso. Harry propped himself up on his elbow, his face so close to Louis’s that when Louis opened his eyes he could see the flecks of gold in Harry’s green ones. He smiled, soft and sleepily and Harry grinned back, fondness and tenderness the only emotions on his face.

Louis was completely surrounded by Harry and it was bliss. “I’m glad you stayed.”

Harry gently tapped Louis’s nose with his own. “I am too. You make cute noises when you sleep.” Louis pretended to hide his face in Harry’s arm, but Harry just nuzzled Louis’s cheek. “Plus your bed is way softer than our rock in the cove.”

Louis hummed, tucking himself further under the covers and into Harry. He was so warm, Louis never wanted to leave this position in this moment. He could stay in Harry’s arms forever.

Harry kissed along Louis’s face, gently covering his jawline, his ear, his cheek. Louis turned his face and met Harry’s lips with his own, kissing him tenderly and surely. Kissing Harry still felt a bit like a new sensation, still sent shocks down Louis’s spine and butterflies to his stomach. Now it meant something. They loved each other.

Harry’s lips were gentle and firm against Louis’s and his hands roamed Louis’s bare chest and sides, trailing his fingers up and down Louis’s arm and shoulder. Louis whimpered when Harry bit down and nibbled on his bottom lip.

In one fluid motion, Harry flipped them over, laying on his back and pulling Louis on top of him. Louis’s legs straddled Harry’s tail, Harry’s arms wrapped around his torso and they snuggled into each other under the covers, Louis kissing along Harry’s neck, and jaw, kissing the spot where his gills hid while he was on land, kissing his dimples that were just beginning to peek out. Harry’s hands ran up and down Louis’s back, tracing circles along his hips and waist. Louis whimpered again and Harry pulled his lips away.

“I like making you whimper, Lou.” He said quietly, trailing his nose along Louis’s neck. It sent shivers down Louis’s spine, and he kissed the spot on Harry right where his neck met his shoulder. Louis felt himself getting hard and Harry must have too because he thrust his hips upward into Louis, causing him to gasp in surprise and pleasure.

“Haz…” Louis said. “God, that felt…” He closed his eyes, gripping Harry’s back and pulling him closer.

Louis had slept with other people, one night stands and a few attempts at relationships. But no one had stuck around. Now Louis figured it was because his heart had always belonged to Harry, always had resided by the sea, even when he wasn’t physically there. Being with Harry was still new, still fresh, and Louis had no idea how certain things would play out.

But Harry thrust up into him again, making him moan and bury his face into Harry’s neck, sending all other thoughts from his mind.

“I like making you moan, too.” Harry said, his voice still deep and gentle, his hands running up and down Louis’s back, holding him like he was the most precious treasure.

Louis caught his breath. “If you keep doing that,” He gasped as Harry thrust again, grinding up against Louis’s hardness, Harry started swiveling his hips in a figure-eight, slowly, deliciously, as he kissed all over Louis’s face. It was so reminiscent of their first kiss that Louis almost wanted to cry.

Instead, Louis kissed Harry’s neck, the pressure building in his groin, Harry pushing into him, Louis unable to stop thrusting back even if he wanted to.

Harry nibbled on Louis’s ear. “I want you to come for me, Lou. I want to make you moan.” He continued whispering in Louis’s ear, the things he wanted to see and do and make Louis feel. One thought resounded in Louis’s mind: _Harry wanted to get him off._ It was all he needed.

“Haz… I’m…” He gasped and felt his whole body explode in pleasure, Harry’s arms wrapping tighter around him as he came, just from Harry thrusting his hips into him and talking to him. He let his head fall into Harry’s neck, nuzzling into that warm place and letting his orgasm wreck his body.

Harry chuckled gently, and rolled over again, tucking Louis under him. He kissed along Louis jaw as Louis gently trailed his fingers along Harry’s face.

“That was…” Louis started, and giggled, feeling contentment and bliss slowly seeping through him. Harry grinned, looking very pleased with himself.

“Amazing?” Harry suggested with a smirk. “Mindblowing?”

Louis nodded. “Yes. Cause it was with you.” Harry smiled, the smirk long gone and kissed Louis right on the mouth, long and sweet and warm. He looked at Harry longingly, wanting to give him everything. “I wish I could make you feel like that.”

Harry hummed. “I get enough pleasure out of seeing _you_ like that. It’s not a thing we merpeople do but it’s really fun to see you enjoy it so much… We might need a second round.” He wiggled his hips against Louis’s sensitive cock.

Louis chuckled. “I wouldn’t complain. But you gotta give it time. It’s not automatic.” Harry just grinned and nibbled on Louis’s chest.

“I love you, you know that? I always have.” Harry said, and happiness bubbled up in Louis’s chest like he might burst.

Louis trailed his nose along Harry’s. “I love you too, Curly. There was never a moment that I didn’t belong to you.”

Harry hummed. “I’ve always been yours. Mum saw it when we were teenagers actually.” He chuckled. “She asked me what I was going to do when I grew up and all I could say was something that allowed me to be close to you. She just rolled her eyes at me. I think our mums talked about us in those letters.”

Louis smiled, even more eager to read his mum’s letters, and kissed all over Harry’s face, both of them laughing. After a few more kisses, Louis spoke again. “Are you alright? Do you need a bath or a swim or anything?” He ran his hands down Harry’s sides to his tail, feeling for dryness.

“I think I need a quick dip in the cove.” Harry said, his tail flicking behind them. “But then I want to come back because you promised me cocoa and I’m going to hold you to that promise.”

Louis smiled and crawled out of bed, shivering in the cold air. “Deal. And the boys would hate you for leaving without saying goodbye anyways.” He slid his arms under Harry and lifted him out of bed. “Let’s turn the fireplace on and I’ll grab my boots and we can get you to the cove.”

Louis carried Harry downstairs, turned on the gas fireplace, and slid his feet into his boots, all without waking up Niall, who snored away quietly, blissfully on the couch.

It was raining, lighter than the day before, and Louis took careful steps down to the cove. Harry slid into the water and Louis watched the sunrise over the horizon through hazy fog. Harry spent a few minutes swimming around and when he popped back up out of the water to sit himself next to Louis, the both stayed seated for a moment.

“Marty says hello by the way.” Harry said, leaning into Louis.

Louis chuckled. “Good ol Marty. Shall we go back to the cottage?”

Harry nodded and Louis scooped him back up for the walk to the cottage. When they entered, Niall had folded the bed back and was making pancakes in the kitchen.

“Happy Christmas, boys!” He said cheerfully, flipping a pancake and adjusting the temperature. Harry and Louis responded in kind and sat down at the table where Niall had placed heaping mugs of tea and a plate of oranges. Five minutes later Liam and Zayn came down, sleep ruffled and jovial and the five had a pleasant Christmas breakfast before Niall, Zayn, and Liam all left for their homes.

Harry and Louis passed the rest of Christmas with ease. They curled up on the couch with their poems from Liam, Louis’s essay to Harry, and the letters from Louis’s mum. Louis made tea and Harry played Christmas music on the record player. The day passed in relative quiet, Louis pouring over his mother’s letters.

He read them all twice, then passed one in particular to Harry. The sun was just setting outside, sending soft trickles of light through the window. He stood and stretched, walking into the kitchen to make dinner while Harry read the letter. He’d read it three times, the words etched in the inside of his eyelids, his mother’s words like a balm to his heart that missed her dearly.

_My dear Anne,_

_My dear, dear friend. I’m writing with heavy news. I am sick._

_The doctors say I’m going to die. I still haven’t wrapped my mind around it, but there is one thing I’m certain of: I had to write you one last letter._

_Your friendship to me over the years has been uncountably valuable to me. I thank every god that exists that Louis and Harry met as children. Your friendship, support, and letters got me through being a single mom in a hostile world._

_More importantly, I think Harry was what helped Louis get through childhood. He became a different boy whenever we came out here to the cottage. He lost all his cares. I could visibly see the weight lifted off his shoulders. His friendship (and as we’ve discussed often, their potential for more than friendship) was Louis’s saving grace._

_I don’t know if I’ll live to see them together. If I don’t, can you please make sure Louis knows how much I loved him? How, if he and Harry do choose to be together, I’d love him all the more for following where his heart leads. I truly believe their hearts lead to each other, as I know you do too. They’re inevitable._

_I hope they, and you, and Gemma and her family, all find happiness. I will miss you my dear friend._

_Your friend at heart,_

_Jay_

Louis heard Harry hum and sniffle, and saw Harry wipe a tear away. Louis turned the stove top to low heat and walked back over to his boyfriend, snuggling into Harry’s side. “She knew. They both knew.” Louis said. Their mothers, as mothers do, had known from the start.

Harry nodded against his head. “And they love us. Us together.”

“I’m glad.” Louis said, nuzzling into Harry’s chin. “Niall said that about us too actually.”

“Said what?” Harry asked, running his fingers through Louis’s hair.

Louis smiled up at Harry, a soft smile that had Harry’s dimples showing. He wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist, kissing his collarbone and knowing he’d found everything he could ever need.

“We’re inevitable, Harry.” He said. “You and me. I’ll choose you every day of my life, Curly.”

Harry kissed Louis’s forehead. “And I’ll choose you every day of mine, boy blue.”

Just outside Louis’s window, the sun set once more on the ever revolving earth, full of creatures and beings that could, given the chance, belong together. For Louis knew, in his heart of hearts, that no matter what their future brought, no matter what trials they faced, together they were inevitable.

They were meant to be.  


**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr [here](https://iamasphodelknox.tumblr.com/) and share the Masterpost for the story [here](https://iamasphodelknox.tumblr.com/post/168445068139/title-define-dancing-author-asphodelknox-rating) if you like it!


End file.
